Engage And Go!

Engage and Go!
 

Ever driven a car with manual transmission? Whether you have or not, you know that there’s a process to getting the car moving besides just shifting the gear lever to Drive or Reverse.

When you hop into the driver seat of a car with a standard transmission, it should be placed in neutral, and the engine started.  And then, the engine idles – waiting; you are going nowhere. What must be done to get to your destination?

Let’s liken our minds to that manual transmission car. In the quote for today, Goethe questions whether you are serious about what you want to do–he even calls attention to the fact that there is genius, power and magic in being bold. It’s just like your vehicle sitting there idling in neutral. Similar to your own mind, the car has the power to take you wherever you want to go, yet it goes nowhere.

“Only engage,” urges Goethe.

The only thing keeping you from moving is your willingness to begin the process. Engage the clutch, place the transmission in first gear, slowly release the clutch and apply the gas pedal. And what happens? You begin moving–slowly at first, but shifting into second gear, your movement speeds up. As it does, you are soon in third gear, then fourth, and well on the way to your destination!

Goethe’s recommendation is simple, just like the first step in getting that car moving, “Only engage, and then the mind grows heated . . . .”  In other words, put your life in gear – get started – get moving! When you do–when your “mind grows heated”–those idling thoughts become actions, and you’re on your way to better things!